Feed additive for improving performance of domesticated animals

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a feed additive for domesticated animals that is capable of increasing feed performance, as well as associated methods for promoting growth and zootechnical performance in domesticated animals. The animal feed additive provided contains Total Lignans standardized in the contents of Furoguaiacin-like compounds and Guaiacin-like compounds. The present disclosure also describes methods for improving growth via the dietary inclusion of Total Lignans standardized in Furoguaiacin-like compounds and Guaiacin-like compounds.

1 . An animal feed ingredient composition comprising an effective amount of furoguaiacin or a furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or a guaiacin-like compound, or a biologically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the effective amount improves the performance of an animal feed to which the ingredient is added. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  further defined as comprising at least one animal feed component selected from the group consisting of a vitamin, mineral, probiotic, enzyme, flavoring, amino acid, and preservative. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound;
 a) is obtained from a  Machilus edulis, Persea fructifera, Machilus thunberghii, Cinnamomum philippense, Saurus cernuus, Myristica fragrans, Guaiacum sanctum  or  Guaiacum officinale  plant or plant part, or an extract thereof;   b) is obtained from an extract from a plant or part thereof;   c) is synthetically produced; or   d) corresponds to peaks with retention times of about 12.5 minutes, 16.5 minutes, 18.8 minutes, 20.5 minutes, 26.3 minutes, 26.8 minutes, 34.7 minutes, 35.6 minutes, 36.8 minutes, 39.1 minutes, 41.9 minutes, 43.9 minutes, 44.6 minutes, 45.0 minutes, 46.3 minutes, 48.2 minutes, 50.7 minutes, 53.5 minutes, 54.6 minutes, and 61.1 minutes on an HPLC chromatogram of an ethanol extract of heartwood or branches of a  Guaiacum sanctum  plant.   
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound is obtained from heartwood or branches of a  Guaiacum sanctum  or  Guaiacum officinale  plant, or an extract thereof. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the extract;
 a) is produced from heartwood, whole trunk, bark, stems, leaf, flowers, branches, roots or fruits of a plant or part thereof, or any combination thereof; or   b) is an aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic, isopropanolic, ethylacetate, acetonic, hexane, or a mixture thereof, or a supercritical CO 2  extract.   
     
     
         7 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin-like has the chemical structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  is —OH, —OCH 3  or —OCH 2 , R 2  is —OCH 3  or —O, R 3  is —OCH 2  or —O, and R 4  is —O or —OCH 3 , and the corresponding glycosidic forms 
       
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a) lignans comprise between about 5% and about 30% of the composition; or   b) total lignans in the composition comprise at least 20% furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compounds and guaiacin or guaiacin-like compounds.   
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein lignans comprise at least 9% of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , further wherein:
 a) the guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound makes up from about 20% to about 60% of total lignans comprised in said composition by weight; or   b) the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound makes up from about 20% to about 60% of total lignans comprised in the composition by weight.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An animal feed comprising the animal feed ingredient composition of  claim 1  in an amount effective to improve zootechnical performance in an animal fed the animal feed relative to a control feed lacking the animal feed ingredient composition. 
     
     
         17 . The animal feed of  claim 16 , wherein:
 a) the animal feed is chicken feed, pig feed, dairy cow feed, or beef cattle feed; or   b) the improved zootechnical performance is altered feed intake, increased average daily weight gain, increased feed efficiency, decreased feed conversion ratio or increased milk yield.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The animal feed of  claim 16 , wherein the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound, or biologically acceptable salt thereof, is present in an amount of from about 0.01 mg to about 2000 mg per kg of animal feed. 
     
     
         20 . The animal feed of  claim 16 , wherein the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound is obtained from a  Machilus edulis, Persea fructifera, Machilus thunberghii, Cinnamomum philippense, Saurus cernuus, Myristica fragrans, Guaiacum sanctum  or  Guaiacum officinale  plant or plant part, or an extract thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The animal feed of  claim 16 , wherein the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound is obtained from heartwood or branches of a  Guaiacum sanctum  or  Guaiacum officinale  plant, or an extract thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A method of improving the performance of an animal feed, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the animal feed. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein:
 a) the improved performance comprises altered feed intake, increased average daily weight gain, increased feed efficiency, decreased feed conversion ratio or increased milk yield in an animal fed the animal feed relative to a control animal feed to which the animal feed ingredient composition has not been added; or   b) the animal feed is chicken feed, pig feed, dairy cow feed, or beef cattle feed.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound, or biologically acceptable salt thereof, is present in an amount of from about 0.01 mg to about 2000 mg per kg of animal feed. 
     
     
         26 . A method of improving the zootechnical performance of an animal comprising feeding the animal feed of  claim 16  to the animal. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein:
 a) the animal is a chicken, pig, dairy cow, or beef cattle; or   b) the improved zootechnical performance is altered feed intake, increased average daily weight gain, increased feed efficiency, decreased feed conversion ratio or increased milk yield.   
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the animal feed comprises the furoguaiacin or furoguaiacin-like compound or guaiacin or guaiacin-like compound, or biologically acceptable salt thereof, in an amount of from about 0.01 mg to about 2000 mg per kg of animal feed.